Prognosis of land title formalization in urban Ghana: the myth and reality of awareness and relevance

Awuah, Kwasi Gyau Baffour; Hammond, Felix Nokoi

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Title:	Prognosis of land title formalization in urban Ghana: the myth and reality of awareness and relevance
Authors:	Awuah, Kwasi Gyau Baffour Hammond, Felix Nokoi
Year:	2013
Periodical:	African Studies Quarterly (ISSN 1093-2658)
Volume:	14
Issue:	1-2
Pages:	55-75
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Ghana
Subjects:	land registration urban population property rights
External link:	http://asq.africa.ufl.edu/awuah_fall2013/
Abstract:	Over he years land tenure reforms in sub-Saharan Africa have sought, among other things,to vigorously promote land title formalization as a means to secure titles, stimulate land markets, and motivate investment. To date title formalization in SSA is still very low. This is generally attributed to high cost of title formalization and complex procedures for implementation of its processes. However, in Ghana the literature further suggests that it has been partly determined by lack of awareness of the legal requirement for property owners to formalize their titles and poor perception of relevance for title formalization. This study employs empirical evidence from urban Ghana to examine the link between awareness of the legal title formalization requirement and relevance for formalization, and compliance with the requirement. The study uses residential property owners in Kwabenya, a suburb of Accra, as a unit of analysis. It established that awareness of the title formalization requirement and its relevance are not strong predictors of compliance with the requirement. It also found that low compliance with the requirement stems from the fact that the current title formalization system favours the highly educated formal sector employees who can manipulate the system. As such, it is recommended that the on-going Land Administration Project should seek to review the system to make it effective and efficient. App., bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract, edited]

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